Amusement device



Sept. 11, 1962 M. GABRIELSON AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1960 JNVENTOR. mmoz. DMGABR/ELSON .4 TTOR/VEY United States Patent 3,053,535 AMUSEMENT DEVICE Harold M. Gabrielson, Rte. 3, Box 21A106, Merced, Calif. Filed Aug. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 48,996

3 Claims. (Cl. 27257) This invention relates to :an amusement device for children.

The amusement device embodying the present invention comprises a movable child supporting carriage suspended by means of a plurality of coil springs between two (2) upright standards. A child standing on the carriage is adapted to rock the carriage back and forth between an upright and a somewhat horizontal position by exerting pressures alternately in opposite directions on the upper and lower ends thereof.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel amusement device of the kind characterized, embodying a novel combination including a spring supported carriage which is adapted to be rocked back and forth by a child standing on the carriage.

Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device adapted to be used for exercising and for amusement purposes, affording considerable pleasure to a child while performing various movements in actuating the device.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter or will be indicated in the appended claims or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application, I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of an amusement device which is representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for purposes of illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an amusement device embodying my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device in a forwardly tilted position, showing a child supported on the carriage.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a suitably shaped supporting structure comprising two (2) laterally spaced parallel vertical standards 2, 2 rigidly connected at their upper ends to a rigid horizontal member 2a. The standards 2, 2 are secured to and supported on a base 3 which is of sufficient size and shape as normally to remain substantially stationary on a floor surface during the operation of the device.

Suspended between the upright standards by two (2) pairs of coil tension springs 4 is a carriage 5, which com prises two (2) elongated laterally spaced parallel side members 6, 6, a transverse horizontal foot-rest 7, one or more transverse members 8 (one of which is positioned just above and forwardly of the foot-rest), and an upper transverse horizontal hand engageable bar 9. The upper ends of the side members 6, '6 preferably have forwardly disposed extensions 6a, 6a and the forward ends of the latter support the hand bar 9. The carriage is preferably of sufiicient length to permit a child standing on the foot-rest 7 to grasp the hand bar 9 conveniently. The side members 6, 6 of the carriage are positioned in substantially spaced relation with respect to the sandards 2, 2 and the two (2) pairs of springs 4 connected to and bridging the space between the side members and the standards are disposed in slightly inclined positions. The springs 4 preferably have substantially the same tension, and they are sufficiently strong and heavy to support the combined weight of the carriage and a child supported thereon without becoming distended sufliciently to allow the lower end of the carriage to engage with the base 3 or the floor on which the latter rests. It is to be noted that two (2) of the springs are disposed one above the other at one side of the carriage and that the other two (2) springs are arranged in corresponding positions one above the other at the other side of the carriage. The outer ends of the springs 4 which are connected to the standards 2, 2 lie in substantially acommon veritcal plane. The inner ends of the two (2) lower springs 4 are positioned forwardly of a longitudinal plane passing centrally through the side members 6, 6 while the inner ends of the two (2) upper springs are positioned rearwardly of such a plane. By having the springs arranged in this manner, the carriage S normally tilts forwardly slightly from the vertical.

Secured at its ends to the side members 6, 6 of the carriage 5 is a rearwardly extending rigid semi-circular shaped strap 10, which is adapted to prevent a child supported on the carriage in a standing position from falling backwardly. The upper transverse member 8 is positioned somewhat near the central portion of the carriage and its position is such 'as to provide means for preventing the child from falling forwardly.

A suitable transverse member 11 secured to the lower end portions of the side members 6, 6 and positioned behind the foot-rest 7 provides means for preventing the rearward displacement of a childs feet when such child stands on the foot-rest, and similarly the lower transverse member 8 prevents the forward displacement of the childs feet and legs.

in operation, a child stands on the foot-rest 7 with his hands grasping the hand bar 9. Exerting a forward pressure on the upper part of the carriage as by shifting the weight of his body forwardly will cause the carriage to tilt forwardly and move toward a horizontal position. Reversing the pressures on the carriage as by pulling upwardly and rearwardly on the hand bar 9 and exerting a downward and forward pressure on the normally lower end of the carriage through use of the legs and feet will return the carriage to a substantially upright position and even to a rearwardly tilted position. Repeating such movements will rock the carriage back and forth. The springs 4 become additionally charged with the movements of the carriage 5 in either direction from its normal upright slightly tilted position, thereby exerting pressures which facilitate the child in rocking the carriage back and forth.

What I claim is:

1. In an amusement device, a supporting structure having two laterally spaced upright rigid standards, a child supporting carriage movably suspended for rocking movement between the standards and arranged in spaced relation thereto, the carriage having laterally spaced upright side members arranged between and in spaced relation to the standards, a foot rest supported on the lower ends of the side members and a hand bar supported on the upper ends of the side members, and the carriage suspending means comprising pairs of tension springs arranged in corresponding positions at opposite sides of the carriage and connected to and extending between the standards and the side members of the carriage.

2. In an amusement device, a supporting structure having a pair of laterally spaced upright standards, an elongated child supporting carriage movably suspended for rocking movement between the standards, the carriage having a substantially horizontal foot-rest and substantially parallel upright side members positioned within and in spaced relation to the standards, the carriage suspending means comprising .a pair of tension springs interposed between and connected to each side member and an adjacent standard, the springs of each pair being spaced one above the other and arranged in corresponding positions.

3. In an amusement device, a supporting structure having a pair of laterally spaced upright standards, an elongated child supporting carriage movably suspended in a normal upright position between the standards and arranged for rocking movement, the carriage having a substantially horizontal foot-rest at its lower end and a substantially horizontal hand bar at its upper end, and having also opposed upright side members positioned within and in spaced relation to the standards, the carriage suspending means comprising pairs of tension springs connected to and extending between the side members of the carriage and the standards, the tension springs of each pair being spaced one above the other and such springs being arranged in corresponding positions with respect to one another, the said tension springs being adapted to support the carriage and its occupant.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 835,819 Easley Nov. 13, 1906 2,107,377 Howland Feb. 8, 1938 2,860,689 Baker Nov. 18, 1958 

